Rebecca Trager
Senior US correspondent, Chemistry World
I became the US Correspondent for Chemistry World in September 2014, based out of Washington, DC, after writing for the magazine on a freelance basis since 2007. With a background in policy, and a passion for journalism, I have found my niche covering the world of science policy since 1997. The interest was sparked after spending summers during college as a press intern for the National Institutes of Health. Before joining Chemistry World, I was the US Editor for Research Europe, covering the White House, as well as government departments and US agencies, and am also the former managing editor of The Blue Sheet, an Elsevier biomedical research and health policy publication. I studied philosophy and political theory at Haverford College in Pennsylvania.
- News
EU’s new research commissioner named
Commission president nominates Bulgarian politician Ekaterina Zaharieva
- Business
Three indicted in US for smuggling pool chemicals from China
Defendants face fines and jail for illegally importing and distributing trichloroisocyanuric acid
- Research
PFAS-free synthesis of fluorinated drugs and pesticides
Flow chemistry introduces trifluoromethyl group onto a range of compounds using just caesium chloride as the fluorine source
- News
US–China science and technology accord expires, maybe for the last time
Forty-five-year-old agreement has lapsed again but the US remains in contact with China on scientific cooperation
- Business
US industry braced for change as election looms
Regulation, trade tariffs and innovation support top lists of concerns
- News
Science community holds its breath again as consequential US presidential election looms
A lot is riding on the November election for university researchers and science advocates, who overwhelmingly back Kamala Harris
- News
Nobel laureates urge European Commission president to fund science and appoint a research champion
Letter calls on Ursula von der Leyen to nominate ‘a strong supporter of research’ as the next commissioner for research and innovation
- Business
Dacthal herbicide withdrawn in US over risks to foetal development
Sole supplier American Vanguard has cancelled US and international registrations
- Business
Arkema settles local claims over US hurricane fire emissions
Peroxides producer will pay $1.1 million and make safety improvements
- News
US government scientist union scores latest contract win
Californian scientists have followed academics in unionising and have negotiated better pay and conditions
- Research
Low-energy electrons in cosmic ice spring surprise by generating prebiotic molecules
Electrons play a far more significant role than photons in creating molecules that might have kick-started life on Earth
- Opinion
Carol Robinson: ‘I really wanted to wave the flag about technicians’
The mass spectrometry trailblazer on leaving school at 16 and waving the flag for technicians
- News
Controversial phosphine findings on Venus corroborated
Unpublished data reveals that phosphine – a potential marker of life – is likely present although could be a result of unknown chemistry
- Research
Reading into the dangers of poison paint in Victorian-era books
Brightly coloured fabric covers hide poisonous dye legacy
- News
China cracks down on fentanyl precursor chemicals
Three fentanyl chemical ingredients will be subject to new restrictions from September
- Research
Analytical chemistry tools point to the future of personalised medical diagnostics
Molecular fingerprinting techniques outperform standard blood tests for detecting the onset of many diseases
- News
Venezuela’s contested presidential election brings both chaos and hope
The country’s scientific enterprise is at a crisis point, but many believe a González presidency would bring the dawn of a new era for Venezuelan research
- News
A quarter of lubricants and 12% of condoms have organic fluorine levels above 10ppm
Analysis by consumer watchdog site concludes industry may have a manufacturing contamination problem
- News
Caltech gets new theoretical chemistry centre that honours Nobel laureate
Two former chemistry postdocs pledge $30 million to build the Rudy Marcus Center
- News
Chinese-born chemist cleared of last conviction under US’s espionage probe
Court throws out Feng ‘Franklin’ Tao’s final conviction under the now-defunct China Initiative, after five-year legal fight